IPL Acne Treatment

Acne occurs when sebum is unable to leave the skin because a hair follicle is blocked. This may result in growth of bacteria below the surface of the skin. Inflammation can occur, and rupture of an inflamed area can lead to scarring.

The Ellipse IPL system works by reducing the blood supply to the sebaceous gland, which slows down production of sebum and accelerates the healing process for acne.

How does the Ellipse I2PL treatment work on acne?

The Ellipse treatment works by directing pulses of light into the epidermis. The light is absorbed by the haemoglobin in the blood vessels that feed the sebaceous glands.

Haemoglobin converts the light energy into heat, which damages the walls of the vessels supplying blood to the glands. This technique is called “Selective Photothermolysis”.

The visible light produced by the Ellipse I2PL systems is carefully controlled to produce the correct pulse length and wavelengths to reduce the acne without damaging the surrounding tissue.

How acne develops

A normal hair and sebaceous gland (1) can become partially blocked (2). Acnes bacteria live on the sebum and produce fatty acids. The body responds by blocking the gland’s exit to the skin (3). Sometimes the mixture of hair protein, oil and fatty acids damages the walls of the follicle and causes inflammation (4).

The Ellipse I²PL treatment works by reducing the blood supply to the sebaceous gland, which slows down production of sebum (5).

The procedure is non-invasive since the applicator only lightly touches the skin’s surface, making it relatively painless. Tolerance of pain is very individual but it has been described by many as the warm feeling one has after a day on the beach.

The treatment takes approximately 60 flashes of light to treat the full face. A typical course of therapy will include four treatments, three weeks apart.

We also require that our clients use Differin prescribed by a GP for one month before having a course of Acne IPL.